Field of the Invention
Example embodiments relate generally to a humidifier, and more specifically to a humidifier utilizing a switch in a lower reservoir in communication with a valve in a water passage between an upper tank and the lower reservoir in order to provide water flow control to the lower reservoir.
Related Art
A humidifier is a device that may be used to increase moisture (humidity) in a controlled area or environment such as a room of a building or a house. However, conventional humidifiers are known to suffer from problems that may include water spillage and general inconvenience associated with removing the tank and carrying it from one location to another location to fill the humidifier with water which the humidifier converts to vapor or steam.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional humidifier 1 often includes a base 2 with a detachable upper water tank 4. The upper water tank 4 may be filled with water by pulling the detachable upper water tank 4 off of the base 2 and carrying the tank 4 to a water source such as a spigot. In particular, the tank 4 may be turned upside down, and a tank cap 6 may be unscrewed from the tank 4, allowing the tank 4 to be filled with water until the tank 4 is generally full. The tank cap 6 may then be re-sealed by screwing cap 6 back onto tank 4 and returning tank 4 to an upright position as tank 4 is re-mounted onto base 2.
Once tank 4 is remounted onto base 2, valve components within cap 6 may engage base 2 to allow water 34 to fill a lower reservoir 18 of humidifier 1. Specifically, a post 16 mounted to base 2 may contact a distal end of a valve stem 8, causing stem 8 to be thrust upward as the weight of tank 4 rests onto base 2. The upward movement of valve stem 8 causes spring 14 to become compressed (whereas decompression of spring 14 causes the valve to be forced into a closed position when tank 4 is removed from base 2, as described herein). Upward movement of stem 8 also causes valve disk 10 to disengage from valve seat 12, allowing an opening (between disk 10 and seat 12) for a flow of water 34a to move from tank 4 to the lower reservoir 18. Optionally, a filter 20 may clean this flow of water 34a as it passes into lower reservoir 18. Gravity may then allow a flow of water 22 from reservoir 18 to ultrasonic nebulizer 24, where the nebulizer 24 then energizes and vaporizes the water into a stream of vapor or steam 26 that may exit humidifier via connection 28 in order to produce a vapor stream 30 into a room.
Based on the understanding above, it is important to note that during the operation of the humidifier 1, the water 34 in tank 4 is actually held in the tank by a vacuum force that is created in the trapped air space 36 that exists above a liquid level 32 of tank 4. That is to say, as nebulizer 24 vibrates water 22 into vapor 26 and the flow of water 34a continues to replenish a water supply within reservoir 18, the only appreciable force that counteracts the water 34 in tank 4 from flooding reservoir and overflowing the entire base 2 is the vacuum pressure that exists in this trapped air space 36 above liquid level 32. Therefore, if the integrity of tank 4 were somehow compromised and upper air space 36 of tank 4 were allowed to freely exchange air with the ambient air around humidifier 1, the water 34 in tank 4 would immediately drop into reservoir 18 and flood base 2 causing water to escape at the seam between the bottom end 4a of tank 4 and the top end 2a of base 2, causing significant water spillage.
Furthermore, the nature of the detachable tank 4 and valve components of the tank cap 6 may cause inconvenience, water spillage, and undue wear that may cause humidifier 1 to be less durable and enjoy a shorter useable life span. For instance, the tank 4 must necessarily be rather large in order to allow the humidifier to operate for a length period such as overnight. A large tank 4 is often inherently difficult to fill at a normal spigot due to a lack of clearance space under the spigot, especially when a normal-sized bathroom sink is used to fill the tank 4. This, in and of itself, is inconvenient, as a person filling tank 4 may be forced to lean over a bathroom tub and use a bathroom tub spigot to fill the tank 4, or trek for long distances through the person's home to use a kitchen sink with less clearance constraints. Additionally, the weight associated with carrying a large tank 4 may be overly burdensome, especially for elderly or very young users of the humidifier. Further, the detachable nature of tank 4 necessitates valve components within cap 6 in order to seal and re-open a water passage to allow water flow into lower reservoir 18, and these valve components are particularly susceptible to wear. For instance, if tank 4 is dropped or allowed to fall with any appreciable amount of force onto post 16 of base 2, valve piston 8 and/or valve disk 10 may become bent and/or permanently damaged, and spring 14 may be permanently deformed. If any of this damage were to occur, spring 14 and/or piston 8 may become unable to return disk 10 to a closed position against seat 12, which would cause significant water spillage as tank 4 is filled in an upside down configuration and then flipped over to be oriented in a right-side up position as tank 4 is placed back onto base 2 (i.e., the spillage would occur when tank 4 is in the right-side up position). Furthermore, damage to valve piston 8, valve disk 10, and/or valve seat 10 may cause valve disk 10 to become unable to separate from valve seat 12, causing humidifier 1 to no longer function at all, as water flow 34a would be unable to reach reservoir 18.